Venezuelans That US Sent to El Salvador Mega-Prison Faced Torture, Sexual Abuse

"252 Venezuelan immigrants in the United States were flown to El Salvador in the dead of night and indefinitely imprisoned at the Salvadoran mega-prison CECOT, the Terrorism Confinement Center. The detainees had no ability to communicate to the outside world before they were finally released to Venezuela in a prisoner exchange. The men were "subjected to beatings almost daily upon arrival," says Noah Bullock, executive director of Cristosal who co-authored a report with Human Rights Watch documenting human rights abuses and torture in the prison."

"'The nightmare began the moment they took me off the plane.' Those are the words of 26-year-old Gonzalo, one of 252 Venezuelan immigrants in the U.S. who were flown to El Salvador earlier this year in the dead of night and indefinitely imprisoned at the Salvadoran mega prison CECOT, the Terrorism Confinement Center. The detainees endured about four months of confinement and abuse with no ability to communicate with the outside world."

Two hundred fifty-two Venezuelan immigrants were flown from the United States to El Salvador in the dead of night and indefinitely detained at the CECOT Terrorism Confinement Center. The detainees endured about four months of confinement, daily beatings upon arrival, and lacked the ability to communicate with the outside world. Human Rights Watch and Cristosal interviewed 40 of the men and 150 other credible witnesses, documenting abusive treatment and torture. Findings indicate that prison guards attempted to hide their identities while perpetrating abuse and that detainees were returned to Venezuela in a prisoner exchange.

Read at Truthout